Americans are increasingly questioning the use of artificial intelligence in K-12 schools, according to an Education Week article. Support for some popular AI applications declined in the past last year, according to the latest PDK poll on American attitudes toward public education.
For parents, student data privacy is a pressing issue. Nearly 7 in 10 of those surveyed said they did not support giving AI software access to students’ grades, assessment data, or other personal information.
Public opinion often shapes how new technologies are implemented in the classroom, says Jonathan E. Collins, an assistant professor of political science and education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Skepticism around AI may or may not change, depending on the actions of policymakers, school leaders, and AI companies, he says.
“The biggest question with AI is how we’re going to put guardrails in place to get the good version of it. You need guardrails to increase the likelihood that more often than not it helps us in positive ways. That will determine whether we’ll see public opinion for this grow,” says Collins.
The poll asked all respondents, both adults with grown children and those with no children at all, about potential AI uses in classrooms. Teachers using AI to prepare lesson plans was not a popular application, with support for that use dropping to 49% this year, down from 62% last year.
Allowing students to use the technology to prepare their homework is the least popular use for AI. Thirty-eight percent of respondents supported this application this year compared with 43% last year.
Tutoring is the most widely accepted use of AI in schools, with 60% supporting interactive AI tutoring tools. Still, that number dropped from 65% last year.
There is the potential for people’s attitudes to shift, says Collins. Education leaders planning to integrate AI into instruction must be proactive in communicating their plans to parents.
“Get parents to see why we’re moving forward with this,” he says. “Is there a clear personal benefit to me as a parent by having my kid at this school that is using AI, versus me just finding out that they’re using AI and I don’t know if they’re being safe or protecting kids’ identities and information?”
One area of strong consensus: schools should educate students about technology such as AI and responsible social media use. Nearly 6 in 10 said it was very important and a quarter said it was somewhat important.
Other polling shows that teachers are rapidly adopting the technology to create worksheets, plan lessons, write student feedback, and respond to emails. Teachers are among professionals poised to benefit the most from AI, says Collins.
Those who don’t use AI in their day-to-day lives might remain more skeptical of the technology, Collins says, and their opinions could affect whether their local schools prioritize or even shy away from integrating AI into classrooms.
Education Week
